| Deep electrosymphonic swells rise and fall to be pierced by rhythmic patterns and topped by babybreath vocals in title track/opener groundloop. Dolores sings in English amid swirling e-violins, hovering waves of brass and a closing bout of raw electricity. Whispered snippets from the "rubiyat of omar khayyám" top the tender allegory, which becomes charged with tribal thunder and whispy flutes over sweeping strings. An electric pulse ruffles through shimmering synthstring curtains which are displaced by ensuing percussion, pattering persistently. Flutey strands and a few spoken samples further decorate the sweet/somber soundwaves.
Those expecting ecclesiatical harmonies in hymn noir (4:36), will be wrong, hearing instead a mellow blanket of synth, piano and flute which is soon shaken by rousing drumbeats. Dolores' voice softly overlays the energetic flow with almost imperceptible phrasings, backed occasionally by spirited whoops. A smooth stream of strings, organs, flutes and electronics are joined by imparator's acoustic guitar pluckings. Muffled drums provide sporadic punctations to this liltingly lovely instrumental expanse. Snare drums, choir voices and a silken violin section lead into chronicle and are further propelled by a driving electric bass riff. Whispery Italian (?) words drift through the interwoven tones.
Entrancingly moodier, synature (6:31) swelters within a low drone, with bells, middle-easternish flute, synthorchestra and sparse beats stirring the gorgeous haze. Wordless wails sweep seductively across this panorama. Similarly understated majesty spreads into qui mal, where Dolores sings in French as drumming pounds out a neo-tribal tattoo and flute soars against an intriguingly thrumming background texture.
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